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Gov. Scott asks for money for housing program

Published: Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 11:20 p.m.

Gov. Rick Scott has requested $50 million under his 2013-14 budget plan for a popular affordable housing program that has gone unfunded for several years.

If approved by the Florida Legislature, the earmark would help find housing for an estimated 4,000 recession-battered Sunshine State families through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, according to the program's administrator, the Florida Housing Finance Corp.

The SHIP program was designed to serve low-income families with home buying down-payment assistance, property repairs and foreclosure prevention. Many of the households assisted will include the elderly or homeowners who have special needs.

The money historically has been distributed proportionately to each county, where local housing officials put it the use. The last several years, however, the appropriation has been raided by lawmakers to help balance a bleeding state budget.

"As a result of economic and budgetary challenges that our state has experienced, the SHIP program did not receive state budgetary allocations for several years," said Steve Auger, executive director for Florida Housing Finance Corp.

"If the Legislature approves this request, local governments will have resources to address the specific housing needs of their communities."

Auger estimates the $50 million would help bolster the state's economy, generating about 5,500 jobs and an estimated economic benefit of more than $372 million.

In 2008-09, the last time SHIP funds were disbursed, Sarasota County received $3.2 million, while Manatee was awarded $2.6 million and Charlotte saw $1.4 million, state records show.

Although the economy has made substantial progress since then, local officials say the demand for affordable housing remains just as strong, the result of lingering foreclosures that have displaced residents and nagging unemployment in Southwest Florida, where roughly 30,000 residents remain out of work.

In addition to SHIP funds, officials also expect Florida this spring to receive a long-awaited share in the national mortgage settlement money, which would, in turn, help fund SHIP. The Legislature is likely to decide this spring how to divvy up that $334 million.

"The well has been fairly dry the past few years," said Bill Russell, executive director of the Sarasota Housing Authority. "But there's no shortage of demand, that's for sure. Whatever we get, we will be able to use."

<p>Gov. Rick Scott has requested $50 million under his 2013-14 budget plan for a popular affordable housing program that has gone unfunded for several years.</p><p>If approved by the Florida Legislature, the earmark would help find housing for an estimated 4,000 recession-battered Sunshine State families through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, according to the program's administrator, the Florida Housing Finance Corp.</p><p>The SHIP program was designed to serve low-income families with home buying down-payment assistance, property repairs and foreclosure prevention. Many of the households assisted will include the elderly or homeowners who have special needs.</p><p>The money historically has been distributed proportionately to each county, where local housing officials put it the use. The last several years, however, the appropriation has been raided by lawmakers to help balance a bleeding state budget.</p><p>"As a result of economic and budgetary challenges that our state has experienced, the SHIP program did not receive state budgetary allocations for several years," said Steve Auger, executive director for Florida Housing Finance Corp.</p><p>"If the Legislature approves this request, local governments will have resources to address the specific housing needs of their communities."</p><p>Auger estimates the $50 million would help bolster the state's economy, generating about 5,500 jobs and an estimated economic benefit of more than $372 million.</p><p>In 2008-09, the last time SHIP funds were disbursed, Sarasota County received $3.2 million, while Manatee was awarded $2.6 million and Charlotte saw $1.4 million, state records show.</p><p>Although the economy has made substantial progress since then, local officials say the demand for affordable housing remains just as strong, the result of lingering foreclosures that have displaced residents and nagging unemployment in Southwest Florida, where roughly 30,000 residents remain out of work.</p><p>In addition to SHIP funds, officials also expect Florida this spring to receive a long-awaited share in the national mortgage settlement money, which would, in turn, help fund SHIP. The Legislature is likely to decide this spring how to divvy up that $334 million.</p><p>"The well has been fairly dry the past few years," said Bill Russell, executive director of the Sarasota Housing Authority. "But there's no shortage of demand, that's for sure. Whatever we get, we will be able to use."</p>